Pyrenees Coast to Coast

This 7-day cycle tour has been carefully designed to take in some of the most iconic cols of the Pyrenees along a Coast to Coast journey from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.

It is perfect for keen road cyclists who like the idea of a coast to coast challenge but don’t want to take part in the pressurised Raid Pyrenean (the famous West to East ride that must be completed within 100 straight hours and includes sections on very busy dual carriageways). Please note, however, that this is still a “challenging” ride! It is a memorable, bucket-list type of tour from which you will get a great sense of achievement and lifelong happy memories, and not necessarily a “stop and smell the roses” kind of bike touring holiday.

Unlike fixed based tours, you will also enjoy the changes in culture, scenery and climate that you will experience as you journey through the regions of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Hautes-Pyrénées, Haute-Garonne, Ariège and Pyrénées-Orientales. The ride tries to avoid the busier French roads and as well as the hill climbs it enjoys many sections alongside fast-flowing rivers, through steep-sided gorges and beautiful vineyards.

Starting with a dip in the Atlantic Ocean, day one provides a gentle warm up to the rest of the week as we gradually head into the foothills of the Pyrenees. The following six days includes some of the most well-known mountain passes of the Pyrenees that feature frequently in the Tour de France including the Col d’Aubisque, Col de Soulor, Col de Tourmalet, Col d’Aspin, Col de Peyresourdes, Col de Portet d’Aspet and Col de Pailheres.

We will be cycling between 50 to 135km per day with between 1000m and 2700m of ascent. Making an early start each morning gives us plenty of time to each cycle at our own pace up the climbs and spend time enjoying the scenery, stopping for espressos and pastries and taking the time to make the most of the numerous photo opportunities en-route. Although many of the climbs are challenging our support van will wait at convenient points along the route to provide any assistance you might require. The main aims of each day are to have a great time, laugh a lot and make it to the hotel before sunset.

Highlights

• Conquering some of the most iconic Cols of the Pyrenees including the Col du Tourmalet, Col d’Aubisque, Col d’Aspin & Col de Pailheres
• Bucket list, coast-to-coast, Atlantic to Mediterranean cycling adventure
• Challenging climbs, breathtaking descents and gentle valley roads through stunning Pyrenean scenery.
• Quiet, cyclist-friendly roads through picturesque French villages and towns
• French bread and cheese! And  delicious patisseries!
• Women’s only tour – organised and led by experienced female riders with an ethos of having fun in a supportive environment

Accommodation

Your accommodation will be on a bed and breakfast basis in a mixture of French Auberge, small hotels and a cycle lodge. Apart from the cycle lodge, where there is a large loft that sleeps 6, the cost of accommodation is based on twin/triple shares. An additional supplement will be payable for single rooms.

Meals

A challenging ride such as this can’t be undertaken without the right fuel. Each morning will start with a hearty breakfast to ensure we are set for the day. Throughout the day, the support van will never be too far away, and will provide extra snacks and drinks to keep those legs filled with energy.

Each day, either lunch or dinner will be included in the price of the tour, and this will be made clear in the Tour Plan, where “B/L/D” refers to meals included in the trip cost i.e. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. On days where we provide a picnic lunch, riders can choose which restaurant to eat dinner in later that evening. On days where we’ve included a communal dinner at the evening’s accommodation, riders are free to choose their favourite cafe stop for lunch. There will always be snacks and drinks available from the support van at each rendez-vous.

Bike Transfers

We are able to transport your bike (at your own risk) to Biarritz and back to the UK from Perpignan. If you prefer to transport your bike yourself, you will find that most airlines accept bikes as additional luggage. Please contact us so that we can ensure we have enough space in the support van for any bike boxes you may wish to use.